Congressman Renacci's Bid to be Ohio Governor is Official

A Republican congressman from northeast Ohio is the second GOP candidate to officially file paperwork to run for governor in 2018. Statehouse correspondent Jo Ingles reports he seems to be channeling a Trump-like approach.

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Ohio's second gubernatorial contender

Congressman Jim Renacci from Wadsworth, a strong supporter of President Donald Trump, says his working class roots and business acumen make him qualified to be Ohio’s next governor.

“I’ve started my own business at age 24, created over 1,500 jobs, employed 3,000 people, had 60 different businesses throughout the state of Ohio,"

Though he’s a four-term congressman, Renacci has been positioning himself as an outsider, and his campaign slogan “Ohio First” has a Trump-like tone. Lt. Gov. Mary Taylor filed paperwork to run for the office last month.

Attorney General Mike DeWine and Secretary of State Jon Husted, also Republicans, are also expected to seek their party’s nomination. On the Democratic side, Senate Minority Leader Joe Schiavoni, former state Rep. Connie Pillich and former Congresswoman Betty Sutton have launched bids to be their party’s candidate for governor.

The field of Republicans eyeing a possible run for governor is continuing to grow. Three statewide officials have already started raising money for their campaigns. A lesser-known candidate who might appeal to the far-right is also considering a run.

Northeast Ohio Congressman Jim Renacci says he believes there are too many career politicians around the country. The former management company owner says that’s why he joined Congress and why he’s weighing his options on a possible run for governor.

Some backers of Democratic presidential candidate and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders are turning their eyes to Ohio’s gubernatorial race in 2018. As Ohio Public Radio’s Jo Ingles reports, the group is focusing on Ohio's most-prominent Sanders' backer, Nina Turner.

One of the activists with Ohio Revolution, a group that backed Sanders, wants former state lawmaker Nina Turner to run for governor. Puja Datta is working to draft Turner, saying the former state senator from Cleveland is just what the Democratic party needs right now.